Coin controlled device



June 15,` 1937. L sTElNER 4 1 2,083,928'

C-OIN CQNTROLLED DEVJVICE Filed June 9, .193e

I ,lou/s Se/her ef as' l 1 5 4 l QL ATTORNEYS.

Patented June 15, 1937.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ZZT I Application June 9, 1936, lSci-lai No. 84,245

4 Claims.

The invention relates to coin controlled devices for vending. or'dispensing machines. It has for its object to provide a ldevice in which several ,coins of the same denomination, or several coins oidiierent denominations, may be used so as to -compute the amount required for the purchase of the article being dispensed. Another object is tov so construct the device that it may readily 'be changed from one amount to another.

A further .object is to so construct the device that any coins erroneously inserted, or in an insufficient or excessive amount, may be removed from the devicewithout operating the vending machine to which the device is attached. Additional objects are to provide a device of simple but rugged construction which has no parts easily broken or apt to get out of order, which may be used with vending-machines of varioustypes and kinds, which can not be'tampered with, and which can be manufactured and installed at a relatively low cost.

These and various other objects and advantages will be readily understood from the following description and from the accompanying drawing of a preferred embodiment of the invention, in

which,however, modifications may be made without departing from the scope .of the appended claims. In the drawing f Fig. 1 is a side view of the/device;

Fig. 2 is a top view taken approximately on the line 2-2 in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an end view of Fig. 1, taken on line 3-3;

Fig. 4 1s a side view simuar to Fig. 1. but wan certain parts removed;

Fig. 5 is a fragmental top view of one Vof the parts of the device;

Fig. 6 is a fragmental cross-sectional view of another part of the device; and

Fig. 7 is a fragmental side view of the device shown for a different arrangement o f coins.

Referring now to all the views, simultaneously,

the device consists of a frame member III in' which a coin slide I I and a release bar I2 are slidingly mounted between guides I3, I4, I5 and I6.

The slide and the release-bar are held in place.

` passes.

.the lever 35 engages in the slot 55.

slide. Immediately above these coin pockets are show n the coin shutes 24 and25 which constitute a regular part of the vending machine to which the device may be attached. l

The release bar is provided with a push button4 i 26, which, when the device is mounted on a macoins inserted. in these slots will rest on these members. The release bar is always held in its forward position by means of a spring 29 which is attached on a pin 30 Asecured on the bar and by another pin 3l which is secured on the frame Il and projects through a slot 32 stamped In the As shown in Fig. 1, three levers 33, 34, and 35 are-mounted on the straps I1 ard I8. The lever 33 is pivoted at 36, while its movement of the. other end is restricted by a slot 31 through which a screw 38 passes. This'lever is provided with an inwardly extending latch 39. The lever 34 is pivoted at 40 and the movement of its other end is limited by a slot 4I through which a screw 42 This leverr is provided with an inwardly extending latch 43. The lever 35 is pivoted at 44 and the movement of its other end is limited by a slot 45 .through which a screw 46 passes.y This l lever has an inwardlyextending latch 41. :The levers 33 and 35 are connected together by a link 48. A tension spring 49 is attached between the movable end of the lever 35 and a pin 50 which is secured on the guide` I5, while the ends of the levers 34 and 35 are connected by a tension spring 5I, as plainly shown in the view.

The slide II, which is actuatedby a handle member/52 which' extends rearwardly through a slot 53 formed in the frame, is provided with three v will be explained later. The rearwardly extending latch 43 ci' the lever,v 34 engages inthe slot 56, while the rearwardly extending latch 41 of The/slots are located and shaped as plainly-shownin Fig. 4.

TheA latch 39v of the lever 33 extends inwardly 1 over` the top of the' slide.v -A plurality of ratchet teeth 51 are provided on the upper edge ofthe l,slide and in these teeth a pawl 58 engages. This pawl and the other'end to a bracket 80A cast on the frame I 0. The purpose of the pawl and ratchet teeth will be explained later. l

The device operates inthe following manner. The embodiment shown in Figs. 1 to 4, has been 5 arranged to operate with the sum of fifteen cents,

either with three nickels or with one dime and one nickel. The operation for three nickels will rst be described. The three nickels are inserted in the coin shute y24 and from this shute they dro-p into the pocket 20. When the slide is now pulled forward the uppermost nickel will engage with thelatch 39 while the lowermost nickel will engage with the latch 43, 4thus lifting the levers 33 and 34. Inasmuch as the lever 33 is connected to the lever 35 by the link 48, the lever release bar I2 and are finally, after the slide has been pulled completely forward, discharged through a coin shute 63 which deposits the coins in a receptacle inside of the machine.

The operation will now be described when one 30 dime `and one nickel is used. In this instance,

when the slide is pulled forward, the nickel engages with the latch 43 and thus lifts the lever 34, while the dime lifts the latch 41 and consequently the lever 35, thus allowing the latches 35 to pass into the narrow partsof the slots. In

this case the nickel is discharged through the shute 63 as in the former case, while the dime 23, after riding over the part 28 on the release bar l2, is discharged through a coin shutev64 and 40 into a receptacle in the machine.

If coins should be inserted in the machine erroneously, asfor example two dimes instead of one dime, or two nickels and one dime, and the user discovers his mistake and wants the money 45 returned, the release bar I2 is pushed in by means of the push button 26. As the bar moves, the parts 28 and 21, which were normally under the coin slots, are now moved to one side of the coin slots so that the coins will drop into 50 coin-shutes 65 'and 58. These coin shutes are formed on the opposite; side of the frame member I0 from that on which the shutes 63 and 64 areplacedhand theydischarge the coins into an open receptacle on the outside of the machine 55 so that the money may be recovered.

To prevent any coin from being stuck 'in the coin slots and thus possibly be carried back with the slide when this is returned to its normal position, the means shown in Fig. 6 are employed.

, 60 'These consist of a plunger 61 which operates in a hole formedl inthe frame I0 and whichds held forward by means of a spring 81A secured to the rear of the frame. The forward end of this plunger is angularly shaped so that as the 65 coin, for example one of the nickels, is pulled \against it it will be forcedrearwardly against the spring 61A until the coin has passed the plunger, as shown by the dotted lines 2IA, after which the plunger will again spring forward, back 70 of thecoin. The forward ends of these plungers,

of which two are shown, extend into slots 58 and 83 milled in the slide il, as plainly shown in Fig. 4.` i

Froma stu@ of Fig. 4' it will be noted that the 75 release bar ca n not be moved inwardly and the slide outwardly at the samel time as the inside corner 10, of the push button 25, would engage with the edge 1| of the slide.l It will also be noted that once the slide has been started in an outward direction, the pawl 53, owing toits engagement in the teeth 51, will prevent the slide from being returned until the complete movement of the slide has been made and the pawl has dropped down in its inactive position on the opposite side of the teeth. Similarly, the movementyof the slide, when once started in the opposite direction, can not be changed until the full stroke has been made.

From the foregoing it will be seen that the em` bodiment shown in Fig. l can be used for operating either with three nickels or one nickel and'one dime.

v Reference is now made to Fig. 7 in which the parts similar to those previously described have been similarly numbered. In the case first to be described in connection with this view the levers 33, 34 and 35 have been .removed and a lever 12 substituted. It is secured in the same threaded holes where the lever 34 was formerly mounted and is pivoted at one end at 13. The movement of its other end is limited by a slot 14 in which a screw 15 engages. extending latch 16. This latch extends into the slot 54 shown in Fig. 4. When two dimes are inserted in the coin slot 22 and the sli is pulled forward the latch will be lifted and be free to slide along in the slot 54. With this single lever the device will operate with two dimes..

Itis also evident that the slide may be made higher so that the 'pockets might hold more coins and that the pockets may be made of sizes to hold coins otherthan nickels and dimes. Thus, the

This lever has an inwardlydevice may be made to operate with any combination of coins.

Having described the invention and its objects, what I claim as new and wish to protect by Letters Patent isz- 1. In a device of the class described; a frame; a vertical slide reciprocatingly mounted on said frame; two coin pockets formed vertically in said slide and aligned with 'the coin shutes contained inthe machine in which the device is employed; each of said pockets having a depth sumcient to accommodate a plurality of coins; a plurality of notched slots formed in the slide; levers mounted on the frame and having coin-contacting detents engaging in said notched slots; another slide mounted under the mst-mentioned slide and provided with coin-supporting members normally aligned with the coin pockets; and two discharge shutes, located v below the last-mentioned slide and in front of the coin-supporting members, for discharging the coins from the coin pockets, when the first-mentioned slide is moved and the levers lifted by the coins contained in the pockets engaging with the said detenta.

2. In a device of the class described; a frame; a vertical slide reciprocatingly mounted on said frame; two coin pockets formed vertically in said slide and aligned with the coin shutes contained in the machine in which the device is employed; each of said pockets having a depth suilicient to -accommodate a plurality of coins; a plurality of notched slots formed in the slide; levers mounted on the frame and having coinvcontacting detenta engaging in said notched slots; another slide mounted under the first-mentioned slide and provided with coin-supporting members normally aligned with the coin pockets; two discharge shutes, located below thelast-mentioned slide and in iront of the coin-supporting members, for disf.

charging the coins from the coin pockets, when the first-mentioned slide is moved and-the levers lifted by the coins contained in the pockets en 5 gaging with the said detents; two other discharge slots located below said coin-supporting members 'for discharging the coins from the coin pockets when the last-mentioned slide is moved.

3. In a device of the class described; a frame; 10 a vertical slide reciprocatingly mounted on said frame; two coin pockets formed vertically in said slide and aligned with the coin shutes contained in the machine in which the device is employed;

said coin pockets being of different sizesvgto ac,-`

' 15 oommodate coins of different denominations; each the first-mentioned slide is moved and the levers lifted by the coins contained in the pockets engaging with the said detents; two other discharge slots located below said coin-supporting members for discharging the coins from the coin pockets when the last-mentioned slide is moved.

4.' In a device of the class described; a frame; a vertical slide reciprocatingly mounted on said iframe; two coin pockets formed vertically in said slide and aligned with the coin shutes contained in the machine in which the device is employed; each of. said pockets having a depth suilicient to accommodate a plurality of coins; a plurality of notched slots formed in the slide; levers mount-f ed on the frame andhaving coin-contacting detents engaging in said notched slots; another slide v mounted under the mst-mentioned slide and provided with coin-supporting members normally aligned with the coin pockets; two discharge shutes, located below the last-mentioned slide and in front of the coin-supporting members, for discharging vthe coinsfrom thecoin pockets, when the rst-mentioned slide is moved and the levers lifted by the coins contained in the pockets engaging with the said detents; two other dischargev slots located below said coin-supporting members for discharging the coins from the coin pockets when thevlastrmentioned slide is moved; and spring-actuated means for restoring the lastmentioned slide to its normal position. 

